A tucked-away modernist estate in Brentwood that once belonged to an Oscar-winning screenwriter is quietly looking for its next leading character.
The house at 645 Tuallitan Road sits on roughly 1.3 acres in the canyons above the Westside, with nearly 9,000 square feet of living space, six bedrooms, and a pool set into one corner of the grounds. A long private drive and dense canyon landscaping help shield the property from the street, giving it an uncommon sense of privacy for the neighborhood.
Now listed at $16.495 million, the property is on the market with Douglas Elliman, where Cory Weiss holds the listing, according to Mansion Global. Marketing materials lean heavily on the mix of generous scale, canyon setting, and intact modernist design that sets the property apart from many newer rebuilds nearby.
Completed in 1992, the home was commissioned by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Tom Schulman, best known for writing “Dead Poets Society.” The place comes with a dose of Hollywood history that agents are happy to highlight, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Schulman held the property for decades before selling in 2014 to film producer and architectural collector Michael LaFetra, who public records show paid $10.5 million.
Architecture and Setting
The home was designed by architect Steven Ehrlich and later received national recognition for its design, according to The Real Deal. Two residential wings flank a large central volume anchored by a double-height living room, with most of the main rooms opening directly to the yard and broad lawn.
Owner Updates and Upgrades
LaFetra told Mansion Global that his stewardship focused on preserving Ehrlich’s original vision while quietly bringing the systems up to date. Upgrades centered on infrastructure such as solar panels, a water filtration system and mechanical overhauls rather than cosmetic changes.
On the Market Now
Listing aggregators put the interior space between about 8,282 and 9,000 square feet, with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms on a 1.35-acre lot, per Trulia. That mix of land, preserved architecture and square footage is relatively rare on the Westside, and is being pitched to buyers who prioritize privacy and design pedigree.
The Real Deal notes that Southern California’s luxury market has been comparatively quiet this spring, which could affect how long it takes for a $16.5 million ask to land a taker. For collectors of architect-designed properties, though, the blend of accolades, Hollywood provenance and sizable acreage makes this one a standout listing.
